IN IRAQ, UN MISSION BACKS VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS

The head of the United Nations mission in Iraq has welcomed what he described as growing confidence in the electoral process there, and given his backing to the voter registration process, in preparation for parliamentary polls early next year.

"The importance of next January's elections for the future of Iraq cannot be overstated," said Ad Melkert, who is also the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, according to a <"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=1135">press release issued by the mission known as (<"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI) today.

"The number of people taking part in the registration update is an indicator of the growing confidence in the electoral process and the will of the Iraqi people to rebuild their country."

During the first two weeks of the updating exercise, more than 250,000 Iraqis have visited the 1082 centres with minimal security problems, Mr. Melkert said. He congratulated Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) for its successful management of the process.

Mr. Melkert was speaking during a recent visit to a registration centre at Omar Mukhtar Secondary School in the Salhiya area of Baghdad, where he witnessed registration updating first-hand.